


A Friendship Ruined

by MiddleEarthFan



Series: The Beaten Path of Anger and Hurt [1]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Batlle of Five Armies Never Happens, Bilbo to the rescue, Conflict, Everyone Has Issues, Gen, Ignores Battle of Five Armies, Thorin Is an Idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-05 09:23:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4174581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiddleEarthFan/pseuds/MiddleEarthFan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thorin makes the choice of not giving his promise to the people of Laketown. After that it seemed both kindgoms started to go on their own paths away from one another.<br/>Years later, Thorin's choice decides to backfire on him, and this might end with the Kingdom of Erebor falling to ruin...<br/>Based of Hoobit Kink. Original Prompt inside</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A story where the orcs never come. Somehow Thorin manages to “win” the stalemate at the Gate. He does not give up any gold to Dale and Laketown, and the Dwarves force the Men and Elves to retreat. Perhaps blood was shed but perhaps not.  
> Several years later, I want to see how this bites Thorin in the ass. Men do manage to rebuild Laketown (and maybe Dale too?) without the help of the Dwarves. Thorin did not realize what a symbiotic relationship his people had with Dale before Smaug came. (Dale produced a large majority of Erebor’s food. Dale and Laketown were important markets for Dwarven goods. Most anything that Erebor needed to purchase had to come through Laketown at some point.)  
> Since Thorin refused to help Dale, they see no reason to help him now. I just want to see this dynamic and the consequences to Thorin and the other Dwarves to completely alienating their neighbors.  
> Bonus if alienating the Elves also bites them on the ass somehow.

A stillness was in the air as Bard and Thranduil looked up at the tempered, pigheaded dwarf king. 

"By any means am I giving you a penny out of this mountain! You can rebuild on your own and without my help out with money. Besides, I don't think you will ever repay me back!" Thorin bellowed.

Bard frowned. "Just a bit of the treasure so we can get back what is ours! The Master of Laketown has taken all the gold for himself and left us with nothing. What we did have was not much and I don't expect you to understand more that you sit in your own mound of gold." 

Dain was waiting impatiently with his army for word to drive the Elves and Men back. Thorin rose his hand up to show not only that the conversation was done, but Dain getting his armies ready to force the Elves and Men back from the mountain. 

The Elves held their ground strong, some firing at the dwarves, which didn't end well with Dain or Thorin.

Bard was still struck with confustion over what exactly happened, but he knew one thing, Thorin was getting nothing out of this or would get the worse of treatment.

They all hoped this wouldn't last long but never have they thought that it would last ten years for Thorin to finally break and honor his promise.

* * *

EIght Years After The Retreat

The dwarves had to look concerned at the lack of variety of food except for  _cram_. Not saying it wasn't good, but they haven't had anything else since the  _last two years_ when Bard stopped giving a part of their food storages to Erebor (not saying that the food they received was well either, almost half of it would be spoiled rotten). Soon the dwarves went to rashons until they could make enough cram for an entire kingdom of a slowly growing population. 

Bilbo had left after the retreat was issued on the others (and almost got killed in the process) and the Elves went back to Mirkwood as quick as an over ten thousand strong army could. 

Gandalf did nothing and left the stubbornness of dwarves to their kind and stayed out of it. At least they were the lucky ones.

Thorin almost wanted to start trade in the Shire, knowing how much food they could be producing their. Of course how much of it would be wasted in the process.

It was too big of a risk as it was to get anything over the Misty Mountains. Then the other risk was being ambushed and getting nothing out of the long travels over.

Most thought pigheadedness got the best of Thorin and it ended up being that he would not request Bard to produce the given supply he normally did ever month. 

Bard was by no means poor in food. After rebuilding Laketown and getting more for supplies from growing and trade by the Woodland Realm.

And as it always seemed, the Elves got little say in any matter with trade and did very little to aid Thorin after the retreat away from the mountain. He still had a big grudge against the Dwarves of the Iron Hills but knowing how far away they were to physically have a grudge against Dain Ironfoot and his people, Thranduil left with a mutual understanding for the Dwarf Lord.

Blood, unfortunately, was shed that day on the retreat when the men fought against the dwarves, and nearly all the men died that day.

After that, their main focus was on rebuilding their town. Which, in fact, went very quick thanks to the help of the Woodland Elves.

Before anyone knew what was real or not, Laketown was restored in the area around the original lake. Dale was then their next concern and the rebuilding was just finished a few months before they stopped rashoning Erebor.

The trading of goods was at a slow pace and Thorin was trying to get market goods produced from Erebor to Dale and Laketown, but even then, Bard would not allow the purchase of anything for the mountain.

Thorin had to keep the prickling of tears out of his eyes at the sure failure he is as King to his people. He has barely eaten any of the daily supply of cram everyone got in the morning.

They eventually knew the stores would eventually run low and soon they would be out before they could make more. Balin opened the creaky door and stared at Thorin's vile attempts not to start crying or worse, kill himself.

"Thorin, I have been nothing more than a friend to you, but I only ask this of you. Ask Bard for food. He must have enough for us as well as himself. We can't keep eating cram or else the people will go insane with madness over it." Balin suggested. The King looked up at the elder with concern and looked down at the stacks of papers that seemed to reproduce on their own.

"I will send him a letter, seeing if we can talk to him." Thorin tiredly said.

"And get some sleep, you look as though a carriage full of dwarves ran you over." Balin said as he left the office.

Thorin huffed and decided the letter could wait, sleeping was more important.

* * *

A raven flew from away from Erebor and to Laketown with a sigh of relief from Thorin.

He hoped to Mahal that Bard could give him food. The dwarves have been paying for the supplies given and by now they should of at least repaid the Men of Laketown by now.

He sat by the gate and looked at the quiet road winding its way to Dale. Thorin almost turned back when a man riding a horse rode up the road until halting by the gate and saw Thorin, the man's almost black eyes locking eyes with the bright blue eyes of Thorin.

"I thought you wouldn't show up." Thorin said.

"And maybe you should be more patient with your neighborhoods. I saw you standing up there's when I rode out. I could see you like a beacon in the night, not exactly a good thing, Lord." Bard pointed out. Thorin wishes deep down Bard would cut the small talk and to business.

"I would like to start the food supplies back up again. I never told you to stop them in there first place." Thorin growled and Bard dismounted his horse. The King walked down to the gate balcony and down to the level of the new gate. 

The Dwarf King couldn't help but feel a tad annoyed by the height difference between him and Bard. 

But he shrugged it off with his normal grumpy mode. Bard was staring down at the dwarf until they came into their office.

Thorin sat down and Bard looked down at him.

"I don't think I have any right to give you anything. You gave us nothing, so why can't we not help you? Because of your mountain? You have alienated us for the past few _years_  while not aiding and because of it, we are not friends. Thranduil will not help you and your storages are going to b be nothing but cram.

"I am not trying to sound rude, but this is what I felt like when you said what you did at the Gate, sealing your gates from us. Isn't this what you felt like when you lost Erebor to Smaug? Turned away by your own allies? I wanted to keep our friendship but now you are nothing but an orc filth to me.

"I will go now before I hurt anyone else. Good day to you, Thorin Oakenshield." Bard said. Here walked seat and as the door shut, Thorin just stared at the door with tears slowly rolling down his cheeks and his head hitting the hard desk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My shipping thoughts wanted me to do a Thorin/Bard, but this fic would be inappropriate to do because they hate one another. Maybe another time.  
> Tell me what you guys think. Use Thorin/Bard or keep their relationship as is?


	2. Chapter 2

Balin entered office to find Thorin on a breaking point, his puddle of tears running across the entire desk and down to the floor. 

The elder dwarf came over to him and offered a gentle hand to Thorin's quarters. 

"We will get this sorted out, Thorin. One way or another." Balin assured him as he could with the tears still staining his face and making his body hurt with the violent shakes of agony.

The elder barely managed to lay the King to bed without struggling, dragging and lots shouting.

* * *

Late that night, two dwarves walked the streets of Dale with merry conversation, trying to rip their minds of the pain that happened between the two kingdoms, or three if the Elves got involved. 

As one of them spoke, the other stop dead in his tracks.

"Mir?" The dwarf that was originally speaking said as he stared at his companion. "You alright?"

Before the other could answer, the dwarf in question dropped to the ground followed by the dwarf who remained standing rushing to his companion's aid. 

"Mir!  Speak up my brother!" 

It was too late, for Mir was already dead and without warning, the other one named Fir died seconds later from being stabbed.

* * *

Rumor spread like wildfire the following morning. That not only angered Thorin and ask the other dwarves but Dale and even affectimg the Elves, because as it turned out, those two had trade with Thranduil.

Bard insisted it wasn't his fault and Thorin didn't know what to think. It was bad enough that he was denied more food storages but worse that his own kin got killed in the process. 

For now the dwarf king would not allow trade anywhere and that includes Bard and Thranduil. They didn't deserve the payment they got and worse that they were being asses about it.

Thorin tried to calm the kingdom down, making sure no chaos erupted when there was already a situation the guards were talking care of.

Balin ended up instructing Thorin through the detailed works of getting the murder cleaned up and finding the person responsible.

But the dwarf king seemed to be under a bit of depression and sent to bed many nights without eating.

Fili and Kili tried in all their power to make Thorin cheer up. They managed to make him eat and that was enough for them.

The depression laid deep on his heart and for almost a year he did little aside from be in his room. Little saw him for that time period, for he was so grieved and turned to writing to Bilbo, begging him to come back.

Eventually a well known hobbit came before the doors of a fading Erebor. Thorin greeted Bilbo with as much gladness as he could muster.

The Dwarves seemed to think Bilbo will end up helping them from Bard and the growing pains that was trying to get everyone fed.

Bard continued the no supply of food for the following months.

Bilbo had enough of the crap with the lake men and he found where he lived, barging into his doors.

"Master Bard, it seems you are not overly nice to your neighbors, though Thorin has not been overly kind in the motion, but I assure you they will give you payment for your debt." Bilbo stated.

"There is nothing to do about the debt and payment now will only result in more horrid problems. Thorin had made his decision and I can do nothing to save him from his fate." Bard stated back.

Bilbo frowned and walked off, this might not be the end for Erebor, but slowly it's crumbling to dust without much aside for cram. Many of its people fled the kingdom and went to the Iron Hills. 

Thorin and company with Bilbo were all that was left.

But Bilbo openly invited all the Dwarves to live with him in Bag-End. Thus, no more did any dwarf lay hands upon the beauty that was Erebor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was really and I'm sorry about that. I hope I didn't disappoint in this story and I hope to write better.


End file.
